Rail-fastening.



. STEELE. I

\ AsTENl x APP llLED AP |1911. 1,269,561. Patented June 11, 1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

. a lave/nto@ -J. R. STEELE.

RAIL FASTENINGE APPLLcATloN FILED APR 27 A `.ed 1,118..

iiNiTnn sTATEs PATENT onirica.

JAMES ROBERT STEELE, OF OWEGO, NEVI YORK, ASSIGNOR TO STEELE RAIL ANCHOR COMPANY, INC., OF OWEGO, NEW

YORK, A CORPORATION 0F NEW YORK.

RATLfFASTENIN G.

ySpecica'con of Letters Patent.

Patented Juneii, 1918.

Application filed April 27, 1917. Serial N o. 164,873.

of Owego, in the county of Tioga and State of New York, have invented a .new and useful RailFastening, of which the following is a specification.

The invention is more particularly an improvement upon the fastening disclosed in my Patent, #1,224,426, of May l, 1917, which covers a combination of fasteners having plain, e. unthreaded, shanks inserted diagonally in the tie and integral, laterally bent heads engaging over the rail base, and a load-receiving plate between the rail andtie, called for convenience the tieplate, having inclined openings which are fitted closely by the plain diagonal Shanks, so "that the plate and fasteners constitute a substantially rigid unit, wherein the load on the plate is largely transmitted to the fasteners, and the tie, tie-plate, and fasteners are all firmly bound together, the plate holding the fasteners downl and keeping themk from spreading, and the fasteners in turn holding the plate against pounding movement on the tie and relieving its pressure thereon. `In accordance with the present invention, the fasteners, while rigid as to their cooperation with the tie-plates, are resiliently yielding in their portions above the tie-plate and having their heads so constructed as to bear` upon the top of the rail base at points laterally remote from the holes in the plate, thus providing anelastic leverage which accommodates undulation of the rail without `permitting longitudinal creeping thereof, causes upward pressure on the heads to bind the shanks in the plate holes, thus keeping them fromk working up, guards against breakage of either rail'or fastening, and does not enlarge the openings in the tie.

vIn thepreferred formvof the fastener or spike, yalso constituting a featu're'of the invention, the head is formed `by bending over the upper portion of the shank,l entirely at one side of the shank andV without upsetting, to form 'an archedv or recurved head, which insures a Y laterally remote from the hole in the plate and the edge of the rail base, and precludes injury to the fasteners, when being driven, by continued hammering after the fasteners are home. I

The tie-plate `may be one of ordinary size point of bearing upon the rail baseand weight, or one substantially thinner or narrower, or both. Its function in the fastening is not so much to distribute load over the surface ofthe tie, as to apply it to the Shanks of the fasteners without permitting therail to ride thereon, and to tie them to gether horizontally-so that they may not spread; and one part of the invention comprehends a plate of narrow .or strap-likedi- Inensions, having insufficient area to keep it from sinking into the wood of the tie were it not for support received'from the fasteners, but constituting an eifectivetensionY and loadstransmitting member for the purposes described.

' In the accompanying drawings: n Figure l isa vertical section through a rail, tie and tie plate, transverse to the rail, showing one of the fasteners in elevation in the plane of section; i

v Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof; and

Figs. 3 and 4 are views, similar to the foregoing, of a somewhat different construction.

5 is a rail and 6 a woodtie. 2 or 2a designates the tie-plate, which is interposed-between the rail and tie," and which as stated in my said application may be of thinner material than ordinarily employed, because of the support received from the fasteners inwardly of its ends. For the same reason, and because the plate .is not so much to distribute the load over the tie as to apply it to the fasteners, and to serve as a connection therebetween, the tie narrow like a strap, as shown in Fig. 2, instead of being of a conventional width such as illustrated in Fig. 4f. Holes 30 are formed in this tie plate at opposite sides of the rail, at such angles that the downward prolongations of their axes extend transplate may be made veryv versely inward beneath the rail at substantial inclinations, preferably in the neighbor-` hood of 50 tothe horizontal. holes are spaced a.' suitable distance apart lengthwise of the rail, and their aXes may lie in parallel vertical planes which are normal The said v teners being threaded, shanks, and integral lateral heads. The said fasteners are desirably manufactured from lengths of Cylindrical stock having a portion at the end bent sidewise to form the head, the round form of the shank being of advantage for the reasons, among others, set forth in.my earlier application. The material used is to be of elastic or semielastic. nature, a soft, rivet steel being suitable for the purpose and of reasonable cost, though springier and more expensive steels may be used if desired.

The shanks, or at least their upper portions, and the circular holes in the. tie plate are sized for a close fit, best results beingobtained when the shank is as nearly as may be the same' diameterV as the hole, fory eX- ample, a seven-eighths inch shank in a seven'- eighths inch hole, as such dimensions are usually measured'. The Shanks are introduced through these holes into the tie, in diagonal directions coinciding with the axes of the openings, thel amount of the inclination being such as to cause a substantial part of the load borne by the rail, and by it applied to the tie plate, to be imposed upon the fasteners. As indicated above an angle of about 500 has been found particularly suitable. It will be observed that the fasteners receive the load wholly through the plate, the latter guarding the shanks from detrimental direct action thereon of the rail. In my prior application I have illustrated blunt pointed fasteners inserted into bored holes in the tie, and provided with means for interlocking therein. As here shown, I may, and preferably do, provider the shanks with sharp points, and drive them either without pre-forming the holes at all or with only partial pre-forming. Furthermore, and especially with the improvement now presented, it is unnecessary to engage the fasteners with each other in the tie, or to provide any special means for anchoringthem, the fasheld in place under load by downward pressure of the tie plate on the Shanks, and under upward movement of the rail by friction and reaction in the tie plate added to the resistance to withdrawal in the tie.

From the foregoing it will .be perceived that the fasteners are so held at the neck that the heads cannot move away from the rail flange, either upwardy or laterally, and that load on the plate cannot force it downward into the tie away from the heads, to the injury of the wood. Any slight downward movement which occurs is a movement of the plate and fasteners together, the heads remaining in engagement withV the rail flange. The load on the rail becomes one of the factors holding the fasteners down, and the latter in turn support the plate and relieve the top of the tie of pressure. Furthermore, the fasteners do not permit the plate to jump up and down under the rail, and consequently the destructive effect upon the wood resulting fromy such action is avoided. The plate acts to receive the load from the rail and to transmit it in large measure to the shanks, which distribute it in the interior of the tie. In so doing the plate guards the shanks against direct engagement by the rail base and thereby avoids the detrimental effect which would be yproduced if the rail, which as hereafter described has a certain freedom of movement, were allowed to ride upon the Shanks. In

' the direction of its length the plate acts as a tension member, tying the fasteners together and thereby enabling them to sustain the load which they receive.

The heads, of which two Vforms rare illustrated, designated respectively 12 and 413), and l2a and 13, are made to grip the rail iiange at points of bearing located inward from vertical lines which would be projections of the points where the Shanks engage in the tie plate, so that a leverage is obtained which brings into play the elastici y of the fasteners above the plate, while tending to bind them thereto by lateral pressure in= the tie plateopenings, wheny the rail presses up'- ward in undulation. I find that with rela# tively long'heads having a lateral projection of an inch more or less, and other factors substantially as indicated, upward force eX- erted beneath the extremities of the heads is rendered incapable of withdrawing the fasteners, which may nevertheless yield without receiving a permanent set and without loosening, and thus coperatewith therail in movement. Naturally the length of the head, measured laterally from'y the shank, may be varied according the st-iifness andV thickness of the material used.

The heads l2 and lf3 of Figs. 5 and 2i are straight as in my prior application', but are formed at such angles to the shanks as to' cause them to strike first upon the rail flange at their ends.l As the' driving is completed the heads become slightly sprung and may even appear to lie flat upony the rail flange; but as a matter of fact the-*points of gripping and consequently of upward thrust will always be towardV the ends. In this con nection it will be understood that it is de sirable to-make the angle of the heads to the Shanks such that'in: event of the fasteners being driven asl farfas possible they heads will not become sprung beyond the elastic limiti Instead of straight or substantially straight heads, I prefer to employ arched or gooseneck heads such as illustrated in vFigs. l and 2. These heads are soA designed as to cause their curvature to commence very close` above the tie plate, when the parts are in final position, the heads thence arching up-A ward and inward over the edge of the rail flange and' downward into contact with the and possesses numerous special advantages in operation. The fibers of the metal being substantially undisturbed a longer-wearing fastener is produced, and the elastic action is better, the latter being due also to fthe fact that the bending will occur/in the neck above the tie plate'rather than in thehead,`

as in the straight construction. Furthermore, the arched head is very diiiicult to damage by overdriving. yAgain, thepblows which must necessarily be delivered upon the region of greatest prominence,that is the top of the arch, `which is between the shank and the bea-ring extremity, cannot affect the elasticity of the'lower portion which yields in undulation; and always, of course, a point` of bearing remotefrom the shank isjinsured.- By comparison of Figs. l and 3 it lwill alsol bc observed that substantially all of the lateral extent or projectionfoftlie arched head is iendered effective inleverage to bind 'the shanks in the tier plate, because the Shanks as they emerge upward from the plate d0 not have to be carried outward to anyeX- tent before passing inward over the rail flange. l

From the foregoing it will be understood that the fasteners can give to the vertical movement of the rail, without atv any time relaxing their grip, and that all ofthe yieldV is above the tie, owing to the upper or neck portions of the lshanks being rigidly stayed and heldin the tie.plateso that the parts in the tie are in effect. insulated from the resilient play which goes on above. Theresults secured in this way are quite different from those that'would be `obtained if the fasteners were placed in wooden ties without means for holding them at the necks, as in the latter case the bending of the fasteners under the leverage of the heads would occur in the tie, enlarging the tie holes, with consequent loss of resistance to withdrawal and opening of the way for entrance of water. l

What I claim as new is:

1. A rail fastening comprising a tie plate with diagonal holes at opposite sides of the rail, and fasteners having plain shanks which fit closely in said holes and thence extend diagonally in the tie beneath the Vrail so that the tie plate rests on and holds the fasteners, and integral laterally projecting heads, the relation of which to the diagonal of the holes and shanks is such as to cause them to bear upon the rail flanges primarily toward their ends, the fasteners being elastic above the tie plate.

2. A rail fastening comprising a tie plate with diagonal. holes at opposite sides of the rail, and fasteners having plain shanks which lit closely in said holes and thenceH extend diagonally in-the tie beneath the rail so that thev tieplate rests yon and holds thev fasteners, and integral Llaterally projecting heads, the relation of which tothe diagonal of the holes and shanks is such as to cause them to bear upon the railflangesl primarily toward their ends, the fasteners beingfelastic above the tie plate and their .heads being of such lengththat upward pressure beneath their ends cannot eect withdrawal. Y ;V

3. A rail fastening comprising a tie plate with diagonal holes at opposite sides of the rail, and fasteners having plain shanks fit'-l ting closely in said holes aiid-thenceeXtending diagonally `inthe tiebeneath-the rail atv angles of about 509 to the. horizontal, and being unconnected within the tie, and integral lever heads tlie relationof Whichvtothe diagonal of the shanks Landfholesis such vas to cause thev heads to bearrupoirthe railVv flanges primarily toward their ends, thev vfasteners being elasticabove the tie plate.,

4. In a rail fastening, and-in ,combination Awith a rail andtie, fastenersxof elastic material at opposite s1des.of.therail havingintegral lever heads. gripping the rail anges.

the rail, and vfasteners comprising plainA cylindrical rods of l.elastic materialpointed for driving, and havingtheir upper portions bent to form headsin-such relation to the shanks las to cause theheads tobear pointy first upon the rail. flangesavhen the shanks are driven in the direction of the diagonal holes, the tie plate resting upon and holding the necks of the fasteners.

6. A rail fastening comprising fasteners of elastic material, their shanks extending diagonally inward from opposite sides beneath .the rail, and a tie plate having closefitting openings whereby it holds and rests upon the upper portions of the diagonal shanks, the fastenings having integral arched lever heads adapted to bear at their ends upon the rail flange.

7. A rail fastening comprising the combination of a tie plate having diagonal openings, their aXes directed inward beneath the rail-seat portion of the plate, and' fasteners having shanks formed to fit closely in said openings and integral gooseneck heads to grip the rail flange at their extremities.

8. A rail fastening comprising a substanf tially rigid tie plate having fastener-receiving holes at opposite sides of the rail base ico seat and fasteners having shanks filling said holes to grip therein by lateral pressure and lock the plate and shank rigidly together, said fasteners having their shank's extended below the plate lto anchor the plate and rail to the tie and having above the plate laterally extending heads yieldingly engaging the rail base at points laterally remote from the openings in the plate, whereby vertical pressure of the rail on the fastener heads locks the fasteners and plate rigidly together and relative vertical movement of the rail and plate is permitted by the yielding of the heads of the fasteners. l

9. A rail fastening comprising a substantially rigid tie plate having inwardly in clined fastener-receiving holes at opposite sides of the rail base seat and fasteners having plain Shanks to fit closely in said holes to lock the plate and fasteners rigidly together, and project diagonally into the tie below the plate and above said plate having yielding laterally extending heads with their rail base engaging portions remote from the shank, whereby vertical pressure of the rail base produces lateral as contradistinguished from longitudinal strain on the shank within the openings in the plate and relative vertical movement of the rail and plate is permitted by the yielding of the head of the fastener.

10. A rail fastening comprising fasteners having plain shanks and integral lateral heads and formed to extend diagonally in the tie with their heads in engagement with the top of the rail flange, and a narrow member to be interposed between the rail and tie having inwardly inclined holes toward its ends formed for close engagement with the shanks, so as to hold the fasteners and to be held thereby and to transmit the load in substantial measure thereto.

11. In a rail fastening, the combination of a pair of fasteners having straight plain Shanks inserted in the tie from opposite sides diagonally inward beneath the rail toward the central vertical plane thereof and integral laterally disposed heads engaging over the rail flange, and a strap-like member intervening between the rail and tie and connecting the fasteners, said member being of insufficient area to keep it from sinking into the tie if supported solely thereby, and having openings in its end portions whereby it is supported in substantial measure upon the upper portions of the stra-ight diagonal shanks, which it holds and guards from direct action by the rail.

12. A rail fastener comprising a plain shank and an integral arched head, one limb of the arch springing directly from the shank and the other limb terminating in a bearing extremity adapted to engage upon the flange of the rail at a distance from the shank, the top of the arch or driving prominence being between the shank and the bearing extremity. v

13. A rail fastener having a plain straight shank and its upper portion curved over entirely at one side of the shank in a natural bend to form an arched head.

14C. A rail fastener comprising a plain shank adapted to be inserted diagonally in a tie and an arched lever head merging by a curve into the shank and terminating in a bearing point to engage upon the rail ange.

l5. A rail fastener having a plain shank the upper portion of which is bent over at one side in the form of a recurved hook to constitute an arched head the extremity of which is designed to bear upon the top of the rail base at a point remote from. the shank. Y

JAMES ROBERT STEELE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the "Commissioner of Patents, Washington, I D. C. 

